Suns management wants to remove the interim tag from Alvin Gentry and make him their coach for seasons to come.

Gentry wants to be the Suns' coach. Suns players want him to be the coach.

All that remains are the negotiations, which will take place late next week when Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver and Gentry return to Phoenix.

"He's done a terrific job," General Manager Steve Kerr said of Gentry. "The way he's developed our players and the emotional turnover we had, he led that change and deserves to be back. We're going to work on that. That'll be our first order of business."

Gentry is represented by Warren LeGarie, who also is former Suns coach Mike D'Antoni's agent but has a strong relationship with Suns Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin.

"We have a guarded optimism," LeGarie said. "It's our belief that Alvin, in difficult circumstances, distinguished himself as a bonafide head coach and would certainly like the option to take it further. We're waiting on ownership for when and how that can happen."